Eliezer, the Protagonist

The protagonist of this story is based on the author, Elie Wiesel. He is a journalist who has survived the holocaust. In his preface, Wiesel explains, "I speak for my protagonist, but he does not speak for me. He has lived through some of my experiences, but I have not lived through his."

Wiesel uses his own life experiences to flesh out his character, but the actual events depicted in the novel are fiction. When the story begins, the protagonist is living in America. Yet, despite having survived the Holocaust, he is riddled with guilt, filled with despair and haunted by the dead.

Kathleen

Kathleen is the dark-haired beauty Eliezer is with the night of the accident. Like the protagonist, her struggles with guilt and shame have caused her to be incapable of happiness. In fact, her strong need to suffer seems to be some sort...